Ladrien June 2017
by mysticminou
Summary: My one-shots for Ladrien June. Cross-posted on FFN & Tumblr.
1. Small-Ish

I own nothing.  
I'm more partial to MariChat, so I apologize in advance.

This one takes place after Volpina. There's no Ladybug. Just Adrien gushing about how perf she is to Mari. And he might drop a casual hint or two that Chat is super, totally cool. And since I totally arrived late to the party, I may have sneaked another prompt in there.

* * *

Small-ish

When Gorilla dropped him off at school, Adrien was not surprised to see Nino holding back a practically rabid Alya. Groaning, he exited the car and slammed the door. He never showed back at school after the fight yesterday and no doubt had caused Alya to miss her scoop. The press had been held off at his own home and they had never followed him to school before. Alya, on the other hand, would not let up until he gave her something to go by.

As he approached his friends, Nino shot him an apologetic look. "I tried to warn you, dude."

Adrien waved him off. "My phone died last night," he lied. Really, he had turned the thing off because he knew they would be blowing it up. He had sent damage control texts first, however.

Alya grinned as she waved her phone; her ladybug charm danced around the sleek plastic. "Mine's not. Fully charged, actually. Even have a portable charger with me."

"Oh," Adrien was unsure of what to say. "That's…thoughtful."

She advanced like a panther. He very much felt like rabbit in rabbit season. "I want—"

"Alya," the soft voice of Marinette called from the foot of the entryway staircase. Adrien felt himself blush as she walked up behind him. "Let's get to class first," she reasoned. As he turned to thank her, he noticed how very pointedly she was not looking at him.

The blogger sighed and relented. "Fine. Besides, the road isn't the best background for my exclusive interview with Adrien Agreste." Marinette smiled and the two girls linked arms, but not before Alya pointed to her eyes with two fingers and then pointed them towards Adrien.

The boys were left at the doors as the girls headed away. Adrien mentally noted to thank Marinette later. Nino bumped his fist into Adrien's shoulder gently and the blonde directed his attention to him. "So, I heard that Lila transferred schools."  
One of the tensions on his shoulders eased off. "I kinda feel sorry for her," Adrien admitted. "What about the stuff on the Ladyblog?"

Nino shrugged. "Alya deleted it off, but stuff on the internet is forever. It could resurface later. But, Alya flat out refused to delete the stuff about Volpina. A possible third hero? She's digging it."

"But she was a fake?" Adrien reminded his friend. They were cut short when the warning bell sounded. With a shrug, Nino told him to take it up with Alya later during her exclusive interview. An exclusive interview that Adrien needed to worm his way out of doing.

XXX

When they got to class, he noticed Marinette drawing in her portfolio while Alya rattled off the questions she was surely dying to ask him. Her vulture eyes latched onto him the moment he dropped his bag to the floor. The soft grunt from Plagg caused a smile to quirk his lips.

"Nuh-uh. Don't think you can charm me, mister!" Alya mistook his grin. "I'm getting my interview." She slung an arm around Marinette's shoulders and pulled the girl closer. Marinette's pencil darted across the page and ruined the design she was working on. But, Alya didn't apologize or seem to notice. "And my girl Mari is totes gonna be there."  
Green eyes went to the designer. She was? Despite her save earlier, he thought she didn't like him.

Marinette blinked once slowly. "Adrien probably doesn't have time, Alya," she gently reminded her friend. "He probably has a shoot or lessons or—"

"I'll be there," he blurted. The three teens looked at him with as much shock as he felt. He did have a shoot and a Chinese lesson, but would his father say no to free publicity? Mentally, he winced at the thought of that. "Ok, maybe after six?"

Alya whooped and fist bumped the air. "Alright, we'll meet up at Mari's house!"

Adrien could not stop the grin as Marinette's stutter came back. "But I've not roomed my clean. Wet cat smell!"

The blogger grinned slyly, "Chill out, girl. I'll be there before hand to help clean. Maybe even help redecorate." Adrien did not understand Alya's sly wink.

Marinette turned back to her design. "Actually…I was redecorating last night. And, I've got plans this afternoon." She rushed the last part. Adrien was immediately intrigued. Despite being friends with this girl for a year, he didn't actually know much about her. What did she do in her spare time? "I'm meeting someone," she answered the unspoken question before Alya could even voice it.

Shyly, she chewed her bottom lip and glanced at Adrien through her bangs. "I do, um, have one small-ish question. If that's ok, that is. I mean, if it's not that's fine. I can just ask you later or have Alya do it tonight or-"

Adrien's laugh cut her off. At her hurt expression he quickly stopped. "I'm sorry. I promise I'm not laughing at you. It's just..." She was just so cute when she did that. "It's nothing," he declared. "Uh, go ahead. Ask your...small-ish question."

Her blush deepened. "W-what...What was she like? Was she brave? Confident? Probably..." She looked away forlornly. "Probably not clumsy at all."

The model grinned. He could totally gush about his Lady and no one would judge him at all because he had been saved by her. Well, sorta. But, details were unimportant. "Oh man, she's so perfect. She's brave, confident, and totally not clumsy," he paused for a moment when Marinette flinched. What was up with that? "Ladybug is God's greatest gift to mankind. I wish I could be half as cool as her. You know, she nearly risked her life for me?" He grinned cheekily. Because even though he had never really been in any danger, it made his insides tingle. His Lady was willing to give up her Miraculous. His Lady cared for him that deeply. Maybe he stood a chance. Maybe if he had stepped out of the bathroom last night and confessed-

"She what?" Marinette deadpanned.

Adrien blinked in confusion. "She, uh, almost let Hawkmoth win." Her blank stare unnerved him for some reason. Had he said something wrong? He glanced at Nino. Nope. Nothing there on his face but awe. His glance at Ayla rattled his nerves yet again.

"Not another word, Agreste!" She shrieked loud enough for the entire class to direct their attention to them.

He smirked. "But, I've not got to the best part! Chat was so cool. He's the-"

The pencil in Marinette's hand snapped. "Not another word about that mangy cat," she growled.


	2. Wait I Can Explain

Whoops. So, I totally got confused with this prompt because irl kept being a total jerk while I was writing. But, I like the slight change I made. Fight me.

* * *

 ** _Wait. I Can Explain_**

 _…Ladybug's identity has remained a mystery. Several theories have circled the internet and mainstream media. However, none have proven to be true. As seen on the popular LadyBlog, Ladybug has herself claimed to be older than 5,000 years old. If this is true, what magic is being the hero? And what of Chat Noir? Is her sidekick also several millennia old? In the footage of the fight with Pharaoh last fall, Chat Noir seems surprised that Ladybug is ancient. Seeing as Chat Noir has no control of his actions, it goes without saying that he was shocked by Ladybug's declaration. Meaning either he did not know her age or he knew she was lying. Obviously, he must have known she was lying. What are the chances that Chat Noir and Ladybug do not know each other in their normal lives?..._

Adrien threaded his fingers through his hair. The more articles he read, the worst his mood soured. This particular article hit every one of his nerves the wrong way. Sidekick? They were partners. They supported each other. No control of his actions? What the hell did that even mean? They knew each other's identities? No! Why else would Chat Noir subscribe to every blog that posted about her if he knew her?

Plagg munched on his final cheese slice. "You know, Kid, there are other ways to find out who she is."

The blonde's hands dragged across his face before he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm not giving her that stinky cheese and then tracking the scent. That's just gross."

The kawami shrugged. "That's not what I was going to suggest."

"Well, whatever it is, I don't-" Suddenly, Plagg vanished. "Plagg, what-" Something knocked on his windowed wall behind him. Adrien spun in his chair and was greeted by the sight of his Lady clinging to the windowpanes outside.

Adrien shot to his feet and nearly ran across his room to tear the window open. With a grin, she flipped into his room. She twirled once before plopping on his couch. "Hey, Adrien!"

He was buzzing in excitement. "Ladybug! What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining or anything!"

"Well, I was in the neighborhood and I…" she trailed off as her eyes wandered to something behind him. "Adrien?" The fear in her voice was palpable. His ring finger twitched as he turned.

Blonde brows pulled together as he saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Ladybug? What is it?" Was there an akuma? Was Plagg playing games?

Silently, Ladybug stood and crossed over to the desk behind him. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she gazed at his monitors. All three screens proudly displaced the articles he had been reading. "Wait," he started as she hung her head. "It's not what you think…" But, it was exactly what she thought it was. He was trying to find her. Trying to find his Lady; the love of his life. "Please," he begged. "I have to know who you are."

Slowly, she turned. Her bluebell eyes barely hid the emotion threatening to release. "Adrien…" Ladybug closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "You can't know who I am," she whispered, her eyes still closed. "The girl behind this mask…she's…" A shiver shook her slender form as she slowly opened her eyes. "She's nothing. A nobody. She's clumsy and awkward." The tears escaped her mask and trickled down her cheeks. "She's always late. She's rash and…" She curled in on herself to hide her escaped emotions. "I love you, Adrien," she admitted without looking at him. "I have for a really long time."

Adrien gasped. His Lady…loved him? "That's great because-"

"No, it's not great."

Sighing deeply, she straightened. "Adrien, you can't know who I am." Ladybug wiped her cheeks with her gloved hands. "If Hawk Moth found out…I…He would hurt you. And I couldn't live with that."

"I don't care."

Ladybug was speechless as he approached her. "I love you, My Lady," he admitted. Cupping her damp face, he continued. "I love you with or without that mask. Whoever you are, it's you regardless of a black spotted mask. Yes, you can be rash. You've been late to the battles and sometimes you're awkward. But, that makes you human. You could never be nothing or no one to me. You are my whole world."

A choking gasp escaped her throat. "Chat…?"

He grinned. "Yeah. It's me."

Ladybug's shriek could be heard a block away.


	3. Merry-Go-Round

The Princess of Angst strikes again. My previous writings felt too fluffy. Time to enter my domain.

TW: Death

* * *

Merry-Go-Round

Things were going too fast.

The world circled around her in bright colors and fuzzy shapes. The viscous fluid in her head sloshed as she staggered. She lost her center of gravity. The sound tearing from her throat was raw and guttural.

Ladybug was five years old again. She was Marinette on a merry-go-round. Papa pushed the playground ride faster and faster. Maman yelled for them to slow, but Marinette giggled for it to go faster, faster!

One second she was holding the red metal of the equipment; the next, she was air born. Little Marinette landed pathetically on the ground after slapping against the chain link fence surrounding the playground.

Ladybug kneeled pathetically beside the broken, battered boy. Her hands trembled mid-air. She was afraid to touch him. Would she make it worse?

Ladybug screamed. Marinette wailed.

Chat was Adrien. Adrien was Chat.

And Hawk Moth had just killed him.

A black butterfly landed next to Ladybug.


	4. Fear

Alya can't be a third wheel if she's the ship captain, right?

* * *

 **Fear**

Alya thumbed her phone and grinned. "Thank you so much, Ladybug!"

The spotted hero shrugged. "It's no problem, Alya. I'm more than happy to help when I can. I always feel bad when we have to run after an akuma. And when Marinette mentioned to me your project I thought it would be a good time to make up for it." She blushed lightly as her eyes went to Adrien. While Alya had interviewed Ladybug for their class project about the hero in their lives, Adrien had quietly sat through it.

The blogger noticed the look and grinned. "Well, next time Marinette will need to be quieter about her plans," she pointed a thumb at Adrien. "As soon as he heard your name, he was like a love-sick puppy. Practically begged to come with."

Marinette knew full well what Alya was talking about, but Ladybug didn't. "Oh…that's…" It made the girl behind the mask super giddy that her crush liked her. Unfortunately, he liked the wrong side of the mask.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "She's exaggerating. I was excited, but I wasn't-"

"Oh please!" Alya interjected. "You bribed me with Jagged Stone tickets!"

Ladybug grinned. She knew about those tickets. After all, she was going with Alya next weekend...with Adrien and Nino. "I love Jagged," Ladybug supplied. She smiled when she saw Adrien's face light up and he no longer seemed embarrassed.

Alya tossed her phone into her purse. "So, off the record?"

Ladybug shrugged. "I mean, I thought it was common knowledge I liked Jagged, but if you don't want to share it-"

The darker teen shook her head. "No, I mean, you answered one question too script-like. I want a real answer. Don't sweat," she attempted to calm the hero when she saw the look a fear cross her face. "I won't ask the forbidden question. And this one might be forbidden, but I gotta ask."

"Go ahead," Ladybug said after a slight pause. Alya wouldn't ask anything too bad, right?

Tapping her notebook, Alya said, "When I asked you about your greatest fear, you said the usual stuff about people getting hurt and blah blah blah. It was pretty much line for line from a comic. But, then you mentioned specifically that you feared for the people you love getting hurt." After Ladybug's nod, Alya continued, "What about Chat?"

"Huh?" A bit of Marinette broke through Ladybug's cover.

Alya rolled her eyes. "It's not really a secret that LadyNoir is my OTP. But, can you tell me how much of his antics are just for show or for real? I mean, the guy practically gets the crap beat out of him every time. Don't you ever get nervous about that?"

Marinette was taken aback by Alya's question. She really shouldn't have been, but she didn't even think to prepare some lines about Chat. Especially…She glanced at Adrien who had suddenly gotten very serious. She worried her lip for a second before catching herself. She was Ladybug, not Marinette right now. "Um, yeah, I do worry about Chat," she started awkwardly. "Truthfully, I'm more afraid of him killing himself to protect me than anything else. But, at the same time, I have to remind myself that it's our jobs. When we took on these roles, we knew what they would possibly bring." Would that be good enough? Please be enough. She didn't want to talk about her feelings for Chat in front of Adrien!

"Do you love Chat?"

The wind whooshed out of Ladybug in a dying dolphin like noise at Adrien's question.

"Oh, look at the time!" She squeaked. "Gotta go before I turn back!" She nearly tripped over her feet as she lurched upwards. Twisting, she sprinted towards the windows behind her.

"Wait!"

The grip on her wrist stopped her from opening the window. Her face burning and heart racing, she peeked over her shoulder to find Adrien. He seemed so stressed out. The creases between his brows were deep and her fingers twitched with the desire to smooth them out.

"Ladybug," he breathed. "What are your feelings for him?"

Gently, she pulled her hand away. "I don't know," she admitted. "I would like him if there wasn't someone else."

His brows twitched and he opened his mouth to respond when Alya whooped. "I'll take that as cannon! Nino owes me ten euros!"


	5. Goodbye Kiss

As much as I dislike the thought, let's pretend for this chapter that Gabriel is not (possibly) Hawk Moth? And that Ladybug finally gets that super cute short hair cut, okay?

Also, there were a few prompts I missed this weekend that I wanted to do. So, I may backtrack and do that. (Or do them for MariChat because of reasons.)

* * *

 **Goodbye Kiss**

It was time.

They had spent so long fighting akumas and solving clues. Granted, it was Ladybug's sudden knowledge of the Miraculous that had helped the most. Adrien glanced at the photo of his mother that adored his monitors. Ladybug had been insistent to not leave any regrets before they met for the final attack. While Adrien understood the very real possibility that one or both could die, he could not bring himself to tell his father goodbye. Sure, it would probably put a damper on the company, but would he care if Adrien died?

If only he could have figured out what had happened to his mother…

Breathing deeply, Adrien exhaled through his nose to calm himself as he glanced at Plagg. For once, the small cat was quiet as he munched his cheese. The kwami glanced up at Adrien and swallowed thickly. "Kid, just don't think about it too hard. Yeah, it sucks going in with just you two, but it's usually more efficient this way."

Did that mean there had been other evil holders? "Have Ladybug and Chat Noir ever…" He trailed off. It was too painful to think about the possibility that another Chat could have hurt or killed Ladybug. What if he had not been chosen? He looked down at his hands. He could destroy anything he touched. If someone else had been given these powers, would he have fallen for Ladybug? Would he have protected her? Or would he have joined Hawk Moth and-

"Yeah. More than a few times actually," Plagg answered. He rolled his neon eyes. "Tikki always gushes over the Romeo and Juliet ones. But, it gets annoying, really." He shoved another slice of cheese down his gullet. "The whole soul mate thing should in theory make it easier for Chat and Ladybug to work together, but it never happens that way."

"Soul mate?"

Another eye roll. "You would pick up on that. Let me impart some wisdom before we go in claws blazing." The tiny cat floated to Adrien's eye level. "You two are literal soul mates. Ying and yang."

The boy looked down, but was unable to stop the goofy grin darting across his face. When he had fallen for Ladybug, it had been real love at first sight. It hadn't been a silly crush or ideal worship. They had been born for each other. So, she had to feel something for him, right? Right?

A soft tapping shattered his thoughts. He jerked his head around and gasped. Plagg grumbled before disappearing behind one of the monitors. Tripping in his eagerness, Adrien rushed to his windowed walls. He threw one open and she gracefully tumbled inside.

Ladybug didn't immediately look at him as she straightened. When she did, the gentle smile on her face took his breath away. The tenderness reached her bluebell eyes and they practically sparkled like starlight. "Adrien," she murmured.

"Ladybug?" Did she know who he was? Was she ready to reveal herself? "My L-"

Her lips were soft.

She gently cupped his neck; her fingers twirled the hair that hung against his neck. Her body pressed against his deliciously. It took him two seconds to react. And when he did, her gasp disappeared in his mouth. He crushed her to him as one hand grabbed her hip and the other tangled in her pixie hair. Their teeth clashed in their heated moment of release once or twice. Their noses bumped.

But as Ladybug breathlessly forced herself away from him with a loud smack, Adrien knew he would not have changed a single thing about their first kiss.

She panted lightly and her cheeks were adorably flushed just beneath her mask. God, she was so perfect. He loved her so much. The sad smile that crossed her face, however, cracked against his heart. "Ladybug?"

The stars that had sparkled in her eyes dulled as the tears began to fall. "I'm so sorry, Adrien. I just…" She drew in a shaky breath. "I just couldn't face him knowing you'd never know. And the girl behind this mask would never have the courage to tell you."

His brows drew together in confused. "My Lady, what are you-"

"Goodbye, Adrien," she whispered before his words fully registered. And when they did register, Adrien could pinpoint the exact second she realized who he was. Oops. So maybe she had not figured out who he was. But, hey, she still loved him, right?

She screeched as she pointed at him. "Chat?!"

Adrien grinned awkwardly and rubbed his neck. "Cat's out of the bag now, huh?"


	6. Paris Landmark

Well, this is late and short. And I'm not sure if girls in Paris carry Tower charms, but lots of girls here in America do so…

* * *

Paris Landmark

Adrien thanked the cashier as he left the gift shop outside the Tower, the small gift bag clutched gently in his hand. As he got into his waiting car, his leg was bouncing excitedly on the short drive to his home. He peeked inside at the keychain and fleetingly wondered if his plan would even work. Besides, how many Eiffel Tower key chains were out there? Most girls had one. But, this particular one was red and embedded with crystals that glittered delicately in the sunlight.

Plagg had suggested the idea and Adrien had actually agreed to his scheme for once.

The plan was simple. Adrien would give Ladybug the charm and maybe, just maybe, she would carry it as her civilian self. Then he would know who she was.

Truthfully, he felt bad, but Plagg had talked him into it.

And when he gave it to Ladybug that evening when she visited him, the bright smile on her face almost made the guilt worth it.


End file.
